Bottle capping mechanism



Aug. 10, 1943.

l.. H.IBRowNE BOTTLE CAPPING MECHANISM 2 shets-sheet 1 Filed Sept. 17. 1940 HT'VOPl N EY5 Aug. 10, 1943. l.. .1. BRowNE 2,326,284

BOTTLE Ggf-PING MEcHANIsM Filed sept. 17, 1940 z sheets-sheet 2 l /NVENTok /NDSHY H. BRO W/VE BY I A TTORIVE'YS.

y Patented Aug. 10, 1943 f The AmericanBrakeShoe & Foundry `Conipany, a corporation of Delaware n VApplicatie@ september 1-7,leiaseriairazoas fx 3 claims.

tle capping mechanismsfand has for .the main 4object the provision Oimechanism by 'means' of which aluminumpr other thin metallic caps rmay beappliedfto andfironedfevenly over the mouths of bottles to clo'sely'conform to the' external surfaces offthe lipsfof thebottles terfminating thereonat the junction of said lips with the necks of the bottles. Y f' Inmany dairies several classes of milk and/or cream may bebottles and capped differently;- for example, some types may havethe usualplain disc caps positioned ona-ledgejformed'within' theneck opening of thebottle for the purpose,

While others may have the more protective'metal-f llic caps conforming tothe external surface ofthe lips o f thebottles contemplated by the presentim' vention; whether the `bottles also have a disc type of inner cap or not. K 'v It is true that heretofore met to a portion of the lip of the bottle instead of em-` bracing the entirelipportiondowntothe neck,

ascontemplated by the present invention.

An importantobjectof the present invention is tu provide a mechanismforconorminsthin y metallic Vcaps to the 1 ip` end`s of bottles, said mechanism being adaptedto be interchanged f.

with the regular capping headsfcomrnonlyemployed, therefore making existingcappingmachines capable, in addition toperforming their` own function of applying discs, of also applying llic caps havel Vbeen applied to bottles but thesecaps conform capping head support; generallydesignated bythe numeral: Ifyisfadjustable, :both rotatably y Vand,y vertically, onftheup-rightshaftland may betclampedlin anydesired/positio'n thereo'nby thin metallic caps to the lips of mill; orcream bottles.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be apparent to those `skilled inthe art. Referring to the drawings: A

"Figure 1 is aperspective View of a' portion of a complete capping mechanism such asnow exists, said capping mechanism `being equippedfwith vcap- `eping heads constituting the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation o fg'a pre- `Aierred `form of the new and improved capping -thebottle.

Referring rst 'to Figure 1, an ,upright rotat- (ci.;1z 2G-s7 This invention relates to limprovements' in bot'- able shaft-'IU forms anintegralpart ofa capping machine'such as is ordinarily; used forftheap# 'i f v ,plication of theg-usual discs to milk bottles II, V

disposed on vmoving bottle. holders 12.@ The 'holders I2 move alongQon supporting-'uprights I3` havingfrollers'lat theirilower ends Which move i f f along -acam track: I5 iandlarefthereby,raised v'and lowered .in the coursegiiof'their1:mow/'e1f1fient.A

The bottles-I #carried ron'the holderslare raised andfloWered-*relative tothe `capping heads as will Y presently :be explained.;

clampingm'eans I '-1,

l Apluralitygofjcircumferentially. spaced.; supy porting members I8 are radially clisposedabout Y i -the ,supportg` l6; Each supporting member has a" laterallyl Aopen :body-portion` provided with spaced zpaifallelfwebs havingnopposedverticalf grooves 4g I9, formed -jther'ein. lExtensions of Y these` webs Thelgrooves I9 receive corresponding slide por- 'tions o'n the sides of the usual ber'cap applyingV heads and the -vertical guide-20 cooperates with Y .theuplperend of a'verticalstem portion ofysuch engagement f of these parts' the Yterminerheads, vbeing normally. a detachable one, whereby they may be readily removedior` cleaning purposes, or forfrepairand substitution-of parts. j According tothe' present invention,a rnet'al1ic Vcap Yapplyingfi'device-is :provided Which'- may vbe substituted for theV disc -capfapplying heads ;and j carried lon th the same cappin'g headsupport I6.

A horizontal platform z I visngidiysuppertd in 1 spaced relation to. themembers- I 8 Yby 'the' verticalVV guidesiZiLpV Upon lthe under.sideof1 this plat form 2! at SDaCd pitntstherearound areaV plul rality of fixe'drvbearing supports 22 which are formedin the platform 2I :irr verticalalignment Witlifthe axes o f ;thesever'al supporting members,

:Motors 24, mountedon thefplatform 2!',' injd1 f `viduallydrivethevertical dependingstub shafts 23 whichinay be providedjwith suitable bearin gs mounted in .the .bearing supports ,22355 A current* f distributor y25, als'ojcarriedJongthevplatforrn, yis -provided -for `distributing;thenecessary operating' current to the;motorsi24 This distributoricon;` Y j' sists: of a member relativelynxed Von"tl1e/"sup-1@ porting frame and inSulatedly-carrying two collectorl rings and two terminalslconnec'ted.to Y said Collector rings and adaptedtobe connected to the r MyPnew and improved whichis in-'eect arspinning 'deviceior 'slzvinning`A o andrtformingfmetallic capsron thelipsv ofv milk:-V

Lbottlescrth like so asvto".entirelyembrace'said lipsgzhas ashaft'ZS,,theupperportionll of which lis-ficrrned exactly like .the lower endof the stubV source of current. In the movable part ofthe device, which is the 'housing designated bythe numeral 25,' is mounted a pair 'of brushes, one of which bears on one collector ring, andthe other of which bears on the other collector ring. vThese brushesare connected tothe motors A24 so that they may receive current from the source as they -rotate about the axis I0 ofthe machine. *e `Ascul'rei'it'is suppliedto th individual 24, the several stub shafts 'rapidlyrotate g It must be understood that the motorsiand motors lower position ofthe 'member carried on theV lower end'ofsad shaft, which member will presently be described. c ,Y V

The'ball 48, vu ndertlie urgeof the 4spring 45,

.tends to normally holdth head 54' of the screw V53 against the upperY end of Vthe sleeve V49. The

" stub shafts are provided only for my new and improved head, to be presentlyv described-,- 'there- Y fore the individual motorsand the distributor 25VV l.

The lowerpen'dof each of the stub 'shafts 23,JV j has a portion milled ,oileaving agsurface 21 also form a partof my invention.

' Figure 2, and a second portion mined away ieay Y. inga surface`v26 `to the right of the center line; bythe surface 2l sof-that a tcngueportion'iaced loverhangs the surface 28.3

in. Figure V2v `the 'surface '21er oni-thershat :30 Y

correspcndsto the surface 21 v. of `thegstud,A shaft 'v 23" 'and the surfaceliagfcorresponds Vtojthe 'surfacezfonfthe stud shaftzl. When the-upper end 38 f is 'placed l in .fcooperative "relation'withlthe stubshaft 23 thersu'rfacela Vabuts ,the surface capping .mechanism,

lower end of the shaft 53a carries a disc'55 which forms 'a working iit inv theY cylindrical cavity 31' and the b'ore 43. p

ij-Th'e shaft 53ahas a groove formed therein in v which is 4mounteda spring ring 56, and a washer y n V1,51 isV positioned between the; disc 55 and the slightly to the left of the vc'e'riterhlin'a asriseen'in t "springringf56-gThe lower end 58 ofthe shaft is ofreduced diameter and carries in xed relation to the sl'iaitaA disc 59 which has a hollow 60 i'o'nnedftherein,theperipheral edges'l of which l are rounded to conformto a portion of' the [upper surface of 'th -lip of a milkbottle.l 'Within o Vthe/hollowSl'lnisfformed an' annular'groove 62; The outer race offfthe'fbearing 34 islpressed intfa hole 'formed'in'a body 53.V "The hole inthe bodyiu is stepped and-carries'fwithin the stepped fp'ortion a feltwas'her or the like 54." Extending ,vertically from theY body 631arerectangular'studs thereby* pmcingthesmb shaft an@ trieshafnizs 'ina order to maintain?theseshaftsinl aligni cernes to restl against the'stop ring'32;

The shaft 2S has a shuldere'dlportion .'33 `Von which' is pressed asuitable frictionle'ss bearing I 34',"Y a seccndshoulder' forming la" shoulder Lagainst"which 'the inner race of the bearing -34 -31 formed therein@ 1 About the cupeshapedmembjer' 35 and prefj erfably rormed integral-*therewith is .a ilangefS.V

Spac'ed 'apart fror'ntheflangef-lii-V is afsecond *f'Apiuralityottubular'imembersione of'which Y is designated by th'elnumeral'4l'iorm spacers flefiningthe space '-between the-"flange 38 and Y Vfflangef3351v These' spacers are held into position by screws, designated by the numeral 4|, passing through the; flange fand` threaded into fthe flange 39.

K "i The flange SS'has a boss portion 42 having VVVan jinterior bore 4310i substantially the same anieter asA that fof .the cylindrical cavity 31.

Beginningat me 'cyundncaicavuy 31 and ex-f of springs.

A44-preieraloly -concentricjfwth Ythe' shaft` 29. A springf isrnountedinthefholer 44 so thatfone end" memtactsgthe end orthehoieand me end means-of aset's'crew'55.' Thesleeve 49 carries edle i rollen-bearings' 5 l ,j 52.'A YThe shaft- 53a ncarrie'don,theffneedle bearings 5I,` 52 and ca-rivieren its" upperlenu s screw 5:.ftnenead 54.V

`irl-Figurer y A plurality' offdownwardly 'extendingstuclsSB "65,"65.-"7These studs -may 'belzformed integral Y withthe body orthey may be threaded into the body, as Ashown in Figure'- 2.

.f' fThe studs .165, fligengage respectively slots 6l p and B Zylriorm'ed in'the supporting Vlmember's I8,- -of which a fragmentary portion4 o'fone isshown are mounted in theflange-GS Vand each is' adapted to be engagedlby the trail 'Hl ofa'h'elicalspring 'H3y Each sipringllljis-supportedbetween the` fii'ange 38-'andiange 39 lbyjafscrew "12. The V--screwsj`l2' are 'preferably headless screws and extend through lclearance" holes in the v-flange 38 andengage threaded holesin the ange 39.

.i "I hellong arm l3`of eachoi the springs ll 'rior-` irriallyrests againstv thefperiphe'ry of theclis'c 55 z Y. withinthexclearance v'space T4 `between the" arm v4o'tlie cupi-shaped member 36 andthe upper:sur-

face'ofthflange 39S In theembodim'ent herein 'shown and described vsix vof the 'springs '.1 I fare sl'i'own.,` "However, I 'do not intendto'lirrlitfmyself tofany givennurnber The bottlesl ll, after y having been properly -lled with thevprolduct and delivered to the capping machine, are successively,raisedintoenf gagement with the Anewv and improved capping device, a ,metallic cap blank 'l57having been posi# vtionedover the mouth orsai'dbottle. n A Y It 'might be pointedbutth'at where desired the usualjinside disc cap may have been previously applied. Howeverjit v'has been foundv that metalliccapsalone are'suicientto retain the 'prod-V 4uctf-in the Ybottle andv at the saine time protect the lips rof the bottle'ffrom 4vcontamination;clue to the fact that ,Smyrnew lanfdrimirioved' device spins v the'metallc cap overth'ezentire lipsof the'bottles in'iuidtight relation thereto.flnotherawords,

not only does my new and improved deviceapply a `metalliccaygito preventthe lip ,ofithebottle l,from being contaminated but it alsov applies it insufcientlyjtight, relations. to y thelip of the bottle toprevent the product from leaking out;

even.tuougntherbomebe overturneaor inverted,

- rotate about the shaft 53a.

.parting from the spirit of As the bottle Il is raised inits holder I2, due to the travel of the roller I4 over the cam track 15, the mouth: of the`bottle, together with the Ymetallic cap` blank, rst encounters they hole 50 in the disc 58 and starts kraising -this disc,.

together with the shaft 53a, against the urge of -the spring 45.` This causes the portion ofthe cap blank 15 in contact with the hollow surface of the disc 55 to conform to the shape of that surface.

As the bottle causes the disc 59, together withv the shaft 53a, to continue to rise, the long arms 13 of the springs, which might be termed spinning arms, and which normally restV against the periphery of the disc 55, to first come in Vcontact with the periphery of the disc 59 and thereafter,

after the bottle continues to raise the disc 59, the spinning arms 'I3 establish contact with the Yfoil blank T5 and thereby progressively spin the metal of the cap into intimate contact with the entire surface of the lip of the bottle.

The cam track is so proportioned that it raisesV Ythe bottleup to the point where the spinning arms 13 have traversed the entire lip surfacev down to the actual neck of the bottle, as shown in Figure 4.

Then the bottle startsre-ceding, due to the ac- Y What is claimed is:` .Y s' .r 1.In bottle capping mechanismincombina' ftion, a lcapping head support having a radially projecting-supporting member, a vertical opening `rformed in said supporting member'with opino-i sitelyV disposed vertical' grooves therein, guide'I means extending above said opening, a second support rigidly connected'to and vertically spaced Vtion of the cam track, and the spinning arms again traversethe entire rlip surface of the spun metallic cap, Vall the Way up until they again con- :a tact the periphery of the'disc 59 and upon furtherV withdrawal of the bottle,'they contact the periphery Of the disc 55.

It is, of course, understood that as the bottle 'is Withdrawn from the spinning head the disc 59 remains in contact with the cap, due to tbeurge "of the spring 45, until the -liead 54 of thD screw 53 comes to rest against the upper end of the bushn for there@ ing 49 and'thereafter the bottle is free mainder of its stroke downwardly.

apart from said .first-support; an electric` motor having a stub shaftthereof vertically journaled Y in'said second supportin vertical alignment with said supporting member, arotatable'.capping'headl- Y positioned below said supportingmember, ashaft 'Y carried by said capping head `andvertically extending through said supportingmemberand its guide, coupling meansy detachably connecting Ythfe said-capping head shaft to said stub shaft. bear- Y' if Y' ing means carriedvon the lower portion ofsaid;- capping head with the'said capping head, said-spinning mem- 1 bers including spring means urging said inembers towardthe axis of said head. Y A ff f 2. In a capping mechanism, in combination; a revolving support havingan outwardly/extending j supporting member, opposed parallel vertical grooves formed therein, a capping headV posiY tioned below said supportingmember, afshaft Since the bottle does not rotate on its holder I2 Y and since the discV 59 and the shaft53a are r`o- Y tating at a high speed, the disc 59 stops rotating when it comes intonrrn contact with the cap, which is to beapplied to the bottle.

the frictionless bearingsv 5| and 52 continue to There is, therefore,

ThisV disc and the shaft 53a then become stationary and A shaftto cover'and ends of said shafts..

3: Ina Acapping mechanism, in combination, ai

revolving support having `an outwardly extending j Y supporting member, opposed parallel vertical grooves formed therein, a cappinghead posi# 'j.

. tioned below said Ysupporting member, a shaft very little friction load tending to urge the disc into rotation when the latter is in contact with the cap on the mouth of the bottle.

The presence of the ball 48, which makes practically point contact with the hardened surface ofthe head 54, therefore reduces the friction on the stationary portion of the devicewhile the metallic cap is being spun onto the lip of the bottle. Although I have herein shown and described a preferred embodimentlof my new and improved spinning head in which a plurality of ,spring loaded spinning arms traverse a metallic cap blank and cause it to conform to the entire lip of kthe bottle of milk or the like, it must be under-Y stood that Vmany changes may be made in the ern-1 bodiment herein shown and described without de- Y the invention as set forth in the annexed claims.

YVthrough said supporting member, s

ber for the lower portionof said shaft, ametallic Carried by said head .and extending vertically through said supportingV member, a' bearing inem'- l ber for the lower portion of said shaft, ametallic i plate Vfor rsaid'bearingmemberj carryingspaced.A

parallel vertical armsengaging said grooves,capi

spinning tools carried onsaid head, ,asecond support rigidly connected to Vand spaced above lsaid first support, a rnoto-rfactuatedvertical stub v shaft journaled innieans `carried on said second H support'and depending there belowin inter-con f1 nected driving'relationjwithsai-d ycappinghead l l* shaft, and a sleeve verticallyshiftable onv the stub carried by said head'and extending vertically abearingl memplate for said bearing member carrying spaced parallel vertical arms engaging'said grooves, cap, spinning devices carried 'ongsaid head, alsecond support rigidly connected toand spaced above,Y said first support, a motorpositioned on said second support and lhaving a Vvertical stub shatter- V tending downwardly therefrom to a positionbe- Y' l low said second Support and inY interconnected driving relation with said capping headshaft,y

and a sleeve vertically shiftableon the stub shaft covering the inter-connectedends of said shaftsY and adapted to be moved upwardly on saidfstub shaft by an operator when said shaftsare to be disconnected. Y

shaft and having verticalguide arms engaging said groovesandv cap spinning..r members carried by and operatingin connection uncover the inter-connected v "I I HLINDSAY H. Bnowitn f Y 

